This invention relates generally to trailer systems for carrying bulk material and more specifically to a system for unblocking an unloading line of the trailer. Bulk material is typically transported in a large hopper which is carried on a trailer of a truck. Upon the truck reaching its destination, the bulk material is unloaded from the hopper into a storage facility such as bin, hopper or elevator. Pressurized air or other gases are used to mix the bulk material within the hopper and force the bulk material out of the hopper and into the unloading line of the trailer. The bulk material commonly forms clumps while being fed through the unloading line thus requiring the line to be disassembled and cleaned. The unloading process is therefore time consuming due to clogging of the bulk material within the unloading line of the trailer. Material conveying systems have been developed wherein pressurized air external to the trailer system is piped into the unloading line at various locations to attempt to eliminate blockage within the line. These systems are generally expensive and require extensive modification to the trailer system due to the large number of electronic valves required to sense the pressure at various locations along the length of the line and the pneumatic valves and external air supply required to supply pressurized air at these locations.
There is a need, therefore, for a material unloading system, that is adaptable to existing trailer systems, compact, cost efficient, easy to use and effective in reducing the time required to unload bulk material from a hopper.